Cherry Blossom Prince
by missmakochan
Summary: Marrying for love is a rare thing for royalty but after meeting a handsome prince in a cherry blossom grove, Yuna's life is changed forever [Royalty AU] [RinXOCXMakoto]
1. Chapter 1

AN: Sorry for the crappy story summery. I feel like the summary doesn't accurately portray where this story is going but until I think of a better summary, it will have to do. Anyway, I live! I'm alive and I'm doing well. I'm currently working on the later chapters so updates will be slow but don't worry, this story will not be going on hiatus.

Anyway, I hope you readers enjoy this story. If you know me, you know I like my OCs =]

Disclaimer: missmakochan does not own the characters of Free! Iwatobi Swim Club but she does own original characters such as the main OC [Yuna]

* * *

Yuna loved exploring. Her mother concluded that it was a hobby she picked up from following her brother and his friends around when they were children. Her father didn't mind too much but her mother fussed over it, complaining that it was unladylike and Yuna needed to learn to sit still. Yuna learned how to sit still but her love for exploring never faded.

Today, Yuna was exploring a castle in a distant country. The servants greeted her as she passed through the hallways and peeked into the rooms; she returned their greetings with a polite smile and a soft "hello." So far, Yuna had seen the kitchen and the servants' quarters as well as the guest wing where her bedroom was located. Somehow, Yuna had unintentionally made reached the garden and she was amazed at how beautifully kept it was. Lush green hedges were shaped into low rows that reached the waist and the stone path winding through the garden was lined with red rose bushes, the queen's favorite flowers. A large water fountain sat in the center of the garden and high stone walls marked the perimeter of the garden, hiding the exquisite garden from outsiders. The royal garden was vast and filled with all sorts of beautiful greenery but Yuna wasn't interested in the scenery around her. The castle was nestled in the valley and a great lake sat behind the castle; Yuna wanted to see the lake but the high garden walls prevented her from doing so.

As Yuna walked along the stone path, she caught a glimpse of something pink beyond a row of tall hedges. Curious, she followed the stone path until it led away from the tall hedges; Yuna strayed from the path and reached a dead end: a wall blocked by small trees. She was confused and slightly annoyed but she decided to keep trying, hoping that she would be able to see that pink something. She felt along the wall and she smiled when she felt the wall give way behind the smallest tree; she pushed it and the part of the wall easily opened.

The secret door led Yuna to a beautiful cherry blossom grove. The grove was small but Yuna almost didn't notice the walls surrounding the grove; she felt like she was in a different world. Yuna was satisfied that she had found the pink something and she strolled leisurely through the grove, her eyes filled with wonder and awe at the beautiful trees. She came upon a large cherry blossom tree in the middle of the grove and she stopped when she saw two young men. A young man with red hair sat at a small table for two while the other, a tall dark-haired man, stood beside him. Yuna quietly turned on her heel to leave but someone commanded her to halt. Yuna cursed mentally; she had been caught trespassing.

"Who goes there?"

Yuna turned around and curtsied deeply.

"I am Princess Yuna of Ichina."

The dark-haired man leaned in to whisper into the red-haired man's ear and the red-haired man nodded. He got out of his seat and he approached Yuna, bowing slightly when he reached her and holding out his hand.

"I am Prince Rin. Welcome to our kingdom of Pala," Yuna allowed Rin to kiss the back of her hand, "Would you care to join me?"

Prince Rin motioned towards the table for two and Yuna's eyes widened with excitement.

"I would love to."

Prince Rin offered his arm to Yuna and out of politeness, Yuna took it, allowing Prince Rin to guide her towards the table. He waited for her to sit before he sat in his seat and the dark-haired man bowed curtly before turning to leave.

"That man seems familiar to me. Was he the one who escorted my mother and I?" Yuna asked.

"He is. His name is Sousuke. He is the Captain of the King's Guard."

Prince Rin tried to keep the conversation flowing but he could tell that Princess Yuna wasn't quite paying attention to him. Instead, she was looking around at her surroundings, taking in everything as if she were burning them into her memories. Eventually, he dropped the conversation and they sat in silence. He noticed that Princess Yuna didn't seem to mind the silence and occasionally, she would ask him questions about the cherry blossoms.

"Do they bloom all year round?" she asked.

"Only in the spring, and only for a short amount of time." he replied.

"How interesting."

Sousuke returned with a tray of tea and snacks. He poured two cups of tea for Prince Rin and Princess Yuna and stood off to the side within earshot.

Rin's eighteenth birthday was approaching soon and his mother was hosting a ball for his birthday celebration but he hadn't expected his mother to invite a princess from a neighboring kingdom to stay at the castle. He suspected that his mother had invited Princess Yuna in an attempt to make him fall in love with her.

Yuna finished her tea and she excused herself, curtsying as she turned to leave. Prince Rin offered to walk her out but Yuna politely refused.

"I can see myself out," she replied.

Prince Rin seemed surprised by her answer but he said nothing as she continued to walk away. He called her name just before she passed out of earshot and she stopped, wondering what else he had to say.

"Keep this place secret."

Yuna blinked; she hadn't expected Prince Rin to ask her to keep a secret. She smiled and nodded,

"I'll take this secret to the grave," then she paused and a troubling thought crossed her mind, "I'm sorry for intruding on your secret place."

Yuna curtsied again and she hurriedly left without looking back at the red-haired prince.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Just thought I would clarify that for this story, I'll be listing the characters in the Western way...does that make sense? So for example, the Japanese introduce themselves with their surname followed by their first name (Matsuoka Rin) but in the West, it would be Rin Matsuoka. Also, I'll be referring to Ai by his full name, Aiichiro, because idk when I think of royals, I think of them being polite and stuff like that. IDK. Just my thought processes...so please bear with me.

Also, I don't know Nitori's dad's name so I just made something up ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

* * *

Yuna's mother, Queen Nori, was best friends with Prince Rin's mother, Queen Miyako. At home, Queen Nori was a loving wife, a compassionate queen, and a stern but caring mother. With Queen Miyako, Yuna's mother was like a teenager. The two queens spent their days reminiscing their youth and looking forward to the future.

Yuna politely listened to the queens' conversations but she ended up tuning out the majority of the conversation. She tried to keep herself awake by doodling on her skirt with her finger but eventually, she had to excuse herself.

"Forgive me, Princess Yuna, we must be boring you. If only my daughter were here to accompany you," said Queen Miyako.

"Is she away?" Queen Nori asked.

"She is studying abroad with someone we trust. I am hoping that this experience will help her to mature and that she will gain the needed skills to be a good princess."

The queens dove into another conversation and Yuna slipped out of the room as soon as she heard her name mentioned.

Yuna decided to explore the west wing of the castle today. The guest quarters, where Yuna and her mother currently resided, were in the east wing and she had already explored that area. Besides the two guest rooms that Yuna and her other occupied, the other rooms were currently empty. Servants were cleaning the rooms and preparing them for guests that would be arriving later in the month.

It had been a few days since Yuna had seen Prince Rin. Queen Miyako frequently complained that he was always locked up in his office, surrounding himself with paperwork and matters of the kingdom. It explained his lack of appearances around the castle but Yuna wasn't particularly looking for him.

"If I see him, then I see him. If not, that's okay, too," she murmured to herself.

The west wing contained the royal library and it was rumored to have so many books that it took up the entire west wing and parts of the castle had to be remodeled to accommodate the number of books. Yuna was greeted by two large wooden doors that blocked off the entire hallway and she was surprised to find that it was easy to open despite the size and appearance.

The library looked like it had been taken straight out of a fairy tale. Rows and rows of bookshelves stretched as far as the eye could see and Yuna could see that there was an end to the rows of bookshelves; a large scenic painting hung on the wall at the end of the rows and there were some tables and chairs scattered around to provide spaces for reading. The librarian greeted Yuna, informing Yuna of his location if she ever needed him, and she thanked him before happily skipping towards the books.

Spiral staircases resided at the back of the library, granting access to the second floor. The bookshelves were fewer and it seemed to be designated as a study area. There was a particular table that was covered with papers and stacks of books; curious, Yuna wandered over and read the contents of the papers.

"U-um, excuse me! Please don't read those!"

A young boy scrambled towards the table and he immediately gathered the paper into a stack, firmly tucking them into a book and slamming it shut. Yuna was taken by surprise by the boy's actions.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know they were private."

"They're not private. It's just...I'm too embarrassed…"

The boy blushed and he began to fiddle with his fingers as he looked down at the floor. Yuna understood that the boy was embarrassed of his writing and it sparked her curiosity even more. She wanted to ask if she could read what he was writing but she decided to change the subject instead.

"My name is Yuna. What's yours?"

The boy looked up at her,

"My name is Aiichiro Nitori, son of Lord Akihito Nitori. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Lady Yuna."

"Ai, have you finished writing your book report?"

Aiichiro jumped and he scrambled to pull the stack of papers from the book. Yuna looked around, searching for the source of the familiar voice, and she saw Rin emerge from a row of books.

"I'm finished, Your Highness!"

Rin bowed slightly towards Yuna and she responded by curtsying curtly.

"Have you been well, Princess Yuna?"

"Yes," Yuna replied.

Aiichiro paled and he bowed deeply to Yuna, who was surprised by his sudden movement.

"Forgive me for my impudence, Your Highness! I did not know of your royal status!"

"It's alright, Aiichiro. I purposely didn't state my title."

Rin sat down at the table and Aiichiro politely pulled out the chair beside Rin for Yuna. She didn't plan on joining them but she couldn't refuse Aiichiro's polite offer so she sat down. Aiichiro hurriedly sat down beside across from Rin and Yuna thought Aiichiro looked like an eager puppy as Rin read through the stack of papers.

"This is written very well; it's thorough and filled with details but some of these details are unnecessary. Still, you've come a long way, Ai; you've improved greatly. Continue the good work and keep in mind that not every detail is important."

"Yes, Your Highness. Thank you, Your Highness!" Aiichiro got up and bowed deeply, "Ai, you don't have to-" but Aiichiro had already disappeared behind a bookshelf to grab another book.

Rin sighed and neatly stacked the books that were scattered on the table.

"Ai is the only son of Lord Akihito Nitori, a noble who is skilled in commerce and public relations. Lord Nitori sent his son here to study under me so he comes by three or four times a week."

"I see. He seems to admire you, Prince Rin."

Rin gave a small smile. Aiichiro returned with another stack of books and Yuna asked him if she could study with him. Aiichiro tried to explain that studying was for a novice like himself but Yuna comforted him, telling him that studying is good for all ages and that studying with friends made the day go by faster. Blushing, Aiichiro agreed and Yuna picked a random book from the stack he had brought.

Rin was doing his own work while Aiichiro read and took notes. The book that Yuna picked was incredibly boring; it was a book about politics and it was a subject that Yuna wasn't very fond of. It was a topic that was simple and complicated at the same time, and although her father encouraged her to study it, her grades and the tutor's annoyance was an indication that politics was not her strong point. Yuna forced herself to read through the book; she didn't want to look uncool in front of Rin and Aiichiro.

Eventually, the sound of writing stopped and Yuna, having inadvertently losing herself in the book, looked up to see Aiichiro fast asleep. His head was resting on the stack of books and his pen had fallen from his hand, dropping splatters of ink onto the paper. Rin _tsk_ -ed but he took off the coat he was wearing and draped it around Aiichiro's shoulders. He set the pen back in its place in the ink box and moved the ink box and papers out of reach.

"He's very sweet," Yuna said softly.

Rin nodded as he gently patted the top of Aiichiro's head,

"He's a hard worker. He's becoming a fine man."

Yuna closed her book and set it aside as she left the table to look for another book to read.

"Have you had a tour of the library?" Rin walked alongside Yuna and he motioned to the bookshelves on the second floor, "This floor contains books about history and culture. The first floor has all the books on literature, fiction, the arts, and miscellaneous subjects."

"Have you read them all?"

"Not yet, but I hope to accomplish that feat, one day."

Yuna asked if there were any fairy tales in the library and Rin led her down the stairs to a small section towards the back.

"I've never heard of these titles before. Are you sure they're fairy tales?" Yuna asked.

"They're fairy tales from another kingdom

A good friend of mine let me have these books."

Yuna's eyes brightened,

"From another kingdom? How fascinating!"

She reached up to grab a book from a taller shelf but she was too short; seeing her struggle, Rin reached over her and pulled out the book for her.

"If you ever need help, just ask," Rin sighed.

Rin noticed the blush on Yuna's cheeks and he realized how close he was standing to her. He handed the book to her and she shyly took it, murmuring a soft word of thanks as their fingers brushed each other, sending jolts of electricity down their arms.

"I, um...I'm going to borrow this."

"Sure."

Rin and Yuna were startled by a sharp gasp and they saw Aiichiro covering his eyes.

"I'm sorry! I didn't see anything! I didn't see Your Highness kissing Her Highness!"

He bowed curtly and ran away.

"Kissing?" Rin and Yuna looked at each other and then turned away with red cheeks.

"I, I'd better go clear up this misunderstanding," Rin stammered.

"Yes, um...I'll...I'll borrow this book."

"Right, you do that. I...I'll get going."

Rin and Yuna nodded curtly to each other and left.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Just in case you readers are thinking, "Wow, things are progressing rather quickly," I just wanted to explain and say that these events are not happening immediately, so chapter 1 is not day one and chapter 2 is not day 2; it's more like chapter one is day 1 and chapter 2 is a few days later. Chapter 3 might even be a week and a half later. Long story short, there is a time gap in between the chapters unless stated in the chapter (for example, "yesterday, she...)

* * *

Yuna didn't know how she ended up in the servants' quarters but she didn't mind at all. The men and women slept separately but the servants told her that each of the sleeping quarters were furnished with twin-sized beds and trunks at the end of the beds for storage. There was also a communal bathroom and bath house that was separated for men and women, and couches and tables were provided for a homey feeling.

The rest of the servants were doing chores in the castle but a group of young female servants were taking a break and Yuna invited herself to make flower crowns with them. They were reserved and polite when Yuna asked them to teach her how to make a flower crown but they began to let down their guards and talked freely when Yuna messed up and laughed at her mistakes.

"I think Prince Rin is really handsome," Ami sighed.

Yuna quietly nodded in agreement though the servants didn't notice her.

"I would happily let Captain Sousuke be my bodyguard," said Hisa.

Aoi shook her finger at them,

"That's because you haven't met the soldiers yet."

"Not everyone is like Daiki," Erika sniffed, "Daiki is the exception."

"Who's Daiki?" Yuna asked.

Aoi blushed a pretty shade of pink,

"Daiki is one of the soldiers here in the castle. He's rugged, handsome, and incredibly sweet."

Ami rolled her eyes,

"Daiki is the one with light brown hair and high cheekbones; he's got that scar on his cheek."

"Ah, I know who you're talking about now."

Yuna could picture the soldier in her head; she had seen him sparring with Sousuke on occasion.

"I'm going to give this to Daiki," Aoi held up her completed flower crown, "I hope he likes it."

Yuna looked around at the group of girls and wondered how they all came to the castle. They were young-they couldn't be older than sixteen-and Yuna thought they were very pretty.

Ami seemed to read Yuna's thoughts and she set her flower crown on her lap.

"I came to work at the castle to help my parents. They're farmers but they don't make very much. My hometown is far away from here so I send money back home. It's not much but it's enough for my family to buy food and clothing."

"Me, too," said Hisa, "I haven't been home in years."

"I'm sorry. You must miss your families dearly."

The girls nodded unanimously.

"I do miss them, but being here gives me the opportunity to help my parents in a way that I wouldn't be able to if I was back home. Queen Miyako is generous and she pays us well as long as we do our work well." said Erika.

"With Prince Rin here, I would stay here forever."

The girls giggled and they tucked away their flower crowns when a bell rang, indicating that their break was over. They looked at Yuna, unsure of what to say to her. With a smile, Yuna stood up and she placed her mismatched flower crown on her head.

"Looks like break time is over, huh?"

The girls smiled and they walked out with her, bowing to her before they left to return to their chores. As Yuna left the servants' quarters, she couldn't help but feel sympathy. They were young yet they were working hard for their families. Yuna wondered if the servants at her castle had similar stories. She made a mental note to treat her servants better when she returned home.

Yuna stopped when she heard a hushed conversation. The voices were male and they sounded familiar although Yuna couldn't quite identify the speakers. She took slow deliberate steps until she came to the wine room and she stood beside the door, leaning in as close as possible.

"The young ones are blossoming quite nicely."

"They are. It's a shame that their beauty is going to waste here."

"Perhaps we could be the solution to that."

"What do you mean?"

"I wonder how much people would pay for them."

There was a pause in the conversation.

"I have some acquaintances who would be interested in the subject."

Another pause in the conversation.

"What would we do...if we got the money?"

"Leave, of course! We wouldn't have to work in the army anymore. The money we get from selling those girls would be more than enough to live comfortably for a while. Leave the negotiations to me, Daiki. You just find a way to get those girls out of here without raising an alarm."

"I know a way."

"That's my boy."

Yuna heard movement and she bolted from the door, running down the hall until she ran into Sousuke, who would have sent her flying backwards had he not caught her.

"Are you alright, Your Highness? Is something wrong?"

Yuna straightened and she shook her head.

"I'm alright. I'm sorry, Captain, I should had been paying attention."

Sousuke shook his head,

"You look alarmed. Is there anything I can help you with?"

Yuna glanced back and Sousuke followed her gaze, his eyes narrowing when he saw two soldiers exiting the wine room with two bottles of wine in each hand. Yuna exhaled; the soldiers probably hadn't noticed that she was eavesdropping.

"It's nothing, Captain. I'm sorry for worrying you."

Sousuke pursed his lips but he said nothing and bowed curtly as he allowed Yuna to continue on her way.

Yuna's heart was still pounding in her chest when she reached her room. She placed her hand over her heart and collapsed onto her bed. She couldn't believe what she had just heard!

"Daiki? Ridiculous! Aoi was just gushing about him…"

Yuna took off her flower crown and clutched it tightly in her hands. She knew that what the soldiers were planning was wrong. She knew she wanted to protect the servant girls but she didn't know what to do. Yuna groaned and she held her head in her hands. She didn't know what to do.

The next day, Yuna decided to tell Rin. She was told that Rin was in his office so she went to see him. She was relieved to see the servant girls cleaning the hallway and they were surprised when she asked them where they were cleaning next.

"We'll be in the kitchen, Your Highness," said Aoi.

"You promise?" Yuna demanded.

"Yes, Your Highness."

Yuna made a mental note of their location and she continued on her way to Rin's office.

Rin was surprised to see her but he welcomed her in and poured a cup of tea for her. Sousuke was also in the office and he was helping dust the bookshelves. Yuna fidgeted nervously in her seat and Rin couldn't help but notice.

"Is there something bothering you?" Rin asked.

Yuna set her cup down and she stood in front of Rin's desk, capturing his full attention.

"I think I overheard a kidnapping plan yesterday."

Rin's eyes widened in alarm,

"Kidnapping? Who?"

"Some servant girls in the castle. The young ones, you know, the ones who help clean the hallways."

Rin and Sousuke glanced at each other and Yuna wondered what they were communicating to each other with that glance.

"I am relieved that you're not the target, Princess Yuna."

Yuna didn't know why but Rin's answer made her angry.

"So what if I'm not the target? Prince Rin, two soldiers want to kidnap your servants and sell them!"

"I have informed the castle guards to be on high alert, Your Highness. There is nothing to worry about," Sousuke said calmly.

Yuna slammed her fists onto Rin's desk, startling Rin and Sousuke.

"You don't understand!" Yuna sighed, exasperated, "two soldiers want to sell the young servants for money! Aoi likes Daiki and Daiki knows of a way to get them out of the castle! If he gets them out of the castle, they'll be doomed!"

"Princess-"

"Rin, they can't be taken away! You need to protect them!"

Rin sighed and he set down his pen.

"Princess Yuna, Sousuke and I will look into this matter. In the meantime, don't do anything rash and don't dwell on it too much."

Yuna was disappointed with Rin's answer.

"And you call yourself a prince."

Yuna turned and left Rin's office without looking back.


End file.
